Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Hamas not happy with Amnesty International

Amnesty International yesterday came out with a brief document about Hamas' campaign against "collaborators" in Gaza during December and January (and also a somewhat more detailed document.)

Since the end of December 2008, during and after the three-week Israeli military offensive which killed some 1,300 Palestinians, most of them civilians, Hamas forces and militias in the Gaza Strip have carried out a deadly campaign of abductions, deliberate and unlawful killings, torture and death threats against those they accuse of “collaborating” with Israel, as well as opponents and critics, Amnesty International revealed in a new document today.
At least two dozen men have been shot dead by Hamas gunmen and scores of others have been shot in the legs, kneecapped or inflicted with other injuries intended to cause permanent disability, subjected to severe beatings which have caused multiple fractures and other injuries, or otherwise tortured or ill-treated.

Most were abducted from their homes and later dumped – dead or injured – in isolated areas, or found in the morgue of one of Gaza’s hospitals. Some were shot dead in hospitals where they were receiving treatment for injuries.

An Amnesty International fact-finding team which visited Gaza during and after the Israeli offensive recorded testimonies from a number of victims, as well as medical sources and eyewitnesses who were able to corroborate their stories. Scores of others are too afraid to speak publicly for fear of retribution by Hamas forces and militias.

Amnesty International is calling on the Hamas de-facto administration to immediately end the campaign of abuses and to agree to the establishment of an independent, impartial and non-partisan national commission of experts to investigate them.

The more detailed report concludes:

There is incontrovertible evidence that Hamas security forces and armed militias have been responsible for grave human rights abuses and that the victims of such abuses and many others are being intimidated and discouraged from testifying about their ordeal. The Hamas de-facto administration has displayed a flagrant disregard for the most fundamental human rights norms, not only allowing such abuses to be perpetrated, but actually facilitating and encouraging the abuses by justifying them and by granting absolute impunity to the perpetrators.

Hamas isn't happy. Al Quds reports:

Hamas on Wednesday criticized an Amnesty International report, which accuses the group of waging a campaign against Fatah militants,as "unfair."
A spokesman for Hamas, Fawzi Barhoum, said in a press statement that "the Amnesty International report, accusing the Hamas movement of abuses in Gaza, is unfair." He said the organization's position is based on "imaginary stories fabricated by the well [?] and to hear some of the accusers of Hamas without hearing the other side's point of view is incompatible with the basic foundations professionalism and impartiality." Barhoum said, "This report directly affects the reputation of the Hamas movement and detracts from attention to the massacres and war crimes committed against our people."

It's funny that Hamas is worried about its reputation. Throwing people off of buildings is OK, but publicizing it just looks bad.

It should be noted that while Amnesty has no shortage of similar documents accusing Israel of various abuses, in the context of the Gaza operation this has been the only negative thing I could find that they have mentioned about Hamas.

In other words, nothing about Qassam rockets, nothing about Hamas terrorists attacking while dressed as civilians, nothing about Hamas hijacking ambulances to transport terrorists, or shooting from mosques and schools, or stockpiling weapons in public institutions, or recruiting minors as fighters. All things for which there is far more evidence - photographic, video, Hamas admissions and eyewitness testimony - than for what they accuse Israel of.

It is interesting that Amnesty cannot find as of yet anything bad that Hamas did against Israel, but only what they did to "collaborators."

But Amnesty will take this criticism by Hamas as proof that it is being "even-handed."

Nah, no media bias here

The Vicious Babushka noticed an interesting headline at This Is London, since changed:

Commenter jhrhv writes:

Esti Ginzburg, 18, is a native of Tel Aviv, Israel this years SI swimsuit cover girl.

Since this would be a major news story that I am duty-bound to cover, I checked it out thoroughly, and, unfortunately, he is wrong.

Ginzburg, pictured here with what must be her Shabbos candles, is indeed featured in the annual SI issue that has been banned in yeshivas and madrassas alike, but she is not the cover model.

That honor goes to Bar Refaeli, who is also of course an Israeli. As the New York Post puts it, she gives new meaning to Mideast "piece."

Their puns don't end there, as they also headline their article "Land of Milk & What a Honey!" along with titling a picture of her "Tasty Kosher."

This does not mean that Palestinian Arab women are not newsworthy as well. Nadya Suleman, the celebrated unmarried mother of octuplets, is of Palestinian Arab descent.

Even more election statistics

This site shows how every community in Israel voted. It was made by the same people that did the Ha'aretz election app (and looks like it is on the Ha'aretz Hebrew site as well) but is far more comprehensive. It is in Hebrew only. Here it is, but click on the link to see it larger and more readable.(h/t Shiloh Musings)

PalArab media roundup 2-11-09

A deranged man in the West Bank savagely beat his three daughters and wife. His 15-year old and 3-year old daughters were killed, a third is critically injured.

Last month, a 13-year old Syrian boy, worried about his parents finding out his grades were low, killed them and three other members of his family.

The “Imad Mughniyya Brigades" have taken credit for a shooting attack on an Israeli car in the West Bank near Beit El last night. No one was hurt.

The Arab world (as well as the far-left) have decided that the word "fascist" is the best term to describe Avigdor Lieberman. One wonders why "moderate" Arabs who espouse a Judenrein Palestine are never given the same appellation.

Meanwhile, Hamas describes the three major winners in the elections as "terrorists" and accuses Lieberman specifically of planning to dynamite an Egyptian dam in order to drown the Palestinian Arabs. The dam in Egypt is very far from Gaza, but perhaps Hamas members didn't learn geography in the UNRWA schools they attended.

Ma'an publishes a nonsensical op-ed saying that Palestinian Arabs hate democracy because of how the Israeli elections went.

Firas Press' regular publishing of pictures of cute Palestinian Arab kids continues with this smiling future jihadi.

The millions of dollars that Hamas was caught trying to smuggle into Gaza has been deposited in an Egyptian bank in Hamas' name, but it cannot be withdrawn without Egyptian approval.

Jordanian "human rights" organizations started an initiative to bring Israel before a world court for prosecution for war crimes.

The 2009 PalArab self-death count is at 25.

Muslims riot over Quran ski equipment

Yes, really.

From the Daily Rising Kashmir:

Srinagar, Feb 08: The protests over the inscription of Quranic verses on the skiing gear of a Swedish national reached the city on Sunday with clashes between police and the protesters taking place at several places.

In Nowhatta, Maisuma, Zaldagar and Nawabazar localities of the city, scores of angry youth pelted stones at police.

The controversy started on Saturday when some employees of Gulmarg Cable Car Corporation noticed Quranic verses inscribed on the skiing gear of N Patrick.

The people caught hold of the foreigner and handed him over to police. They demanded stern action against the skier.

Shouting anti-America, anti-Israel and anti-Sweden slogans, the protesters in Srinagar termed it as a deliberate attempt on part of the European tourist.

"Entire Europe and Israel is against Muslims. You can see what Israel is doing in Gaza and Lebanon so such things are very much expected from a Sweden tourist. They should be banned from visiting Kashmir," said a protester in Maisuma Chowk.

In the clashes on Sunday at least five persons received minor injuries. Police resorted to use of teargas shells and cane charging to contain the protests.

Meanwhile, police has shifted the Swedish national from Gulmarg to Srinagar for investigation. Two tourist guides have also been arrested by police for questioning.

Meanwhile, Kashmir's Grand Mufti, Mufti Bashir-ud-din said that the foreign skier met him and sought apology for his act.

"The skier said that he was not aware about the sensitivity of the matter and maintained that it was his Muslim wife who had suggested him to use such Quranic verses on the skiing gears. He has sought public apology for his act," Bashir-ud-din said.

The Grand Mufti has appealed the government to issue instructions to all foreign tourists about such matters at the time of their arrival in Kashmir.

In Gulmarg on Sunday shopkeepers, hoteliers, horsemen and sledge drivers observed complete shutdown.

Shouting anti-America, anti-Sweden and anti-Israel slogans, the protesters blocked Gulmarg-Srinagar road.

Tangmarg also witnessed protests over the issue as people blocked the road and did not allow vehicles to proceed towards Gulmarg.

Meanwhile, some people here maintain that it is a tradition in many Islamic countries to take things inscribed with Holy verses along during a journey for warding off evil and danger.

Something new to add to the ever-growing List of Things that Offend Muslims.

UN allows anti-semitism, not anti-Zionism (satire)

A satirical article from The Spoof (UK):

After many months of debate the UN has finally announced that it is acceptable to be openly anti-Semitic, but at the cost of being openly anti-Zionist.

A poll showed the majority of voters were in favour of sacrificing the ability to insult Israel for the sake of being to say what they really feel with regards to Jews.

"It was really tiring venting all my Jew-hate on Israel" one voter said. "Always having to say some sh** about Israel putting 10 million Palestinians in phosphorous chambers and causing a holocaust."

The ruling means that it is permissible, upon seeing a Jew, to shout insults such as "big nose", "greedy f***er", and in some cases violence may also be acceptable, for example when the nose is extra large or the Jew is dressed very religiously.

However none of that applies to Israeli Jews, and the UN has warned of harsh consequences for those who say anything negative and untruthful about Israel, such as that Israel made up that it is fighting terrorists, Israelis are ugly, or that Israelis didn't invent falafel and hummus.

A UN spokesman said "for too long people have been holding the urge to express their disgust at the Jews' ugly conks and the fact that they're the ones who caused the recession, and that they control the media. We feel this is a positive move in giving people the freedom to express themselves in a healthy, honest way instead of always hiding behind the 'I'm not anti-Semitic, I'm anti-Zionist' defence."

Haaretz' election map

For those who like to slice and dice numbers while the Israeli election returns come in, Ha'aretz' graph is lots of fun.

Open election thread plus some innumerancy

Can't find anything good to post, so I will fall back on the old Open Thread trick.

One pet peeve: At the moment, 60% of Israel's eligible voters have voted, versus 57% at this same point last elections. This does not mean, as all the Israeli papers are saying, that "voter turnout is 3% higher than in 2006," it might be 3 percentage points higher but voter turnout is (in this example) 5.2% higher (since 60 is 5.2% higher than 57.)

Just remember - conventional wisdom is usually wrong

From Time magazine, May 30, 1977:

TRIUMPH OF A SUPERHAWK

In a stunning upset victory, Begin's Likud (Unity) coalition last week became the dominant bloc in Israel's parliament, replacing a shattered, scandal-ridden Labor alignment that had governed the Jewish state since its founding in 1948. Likud's superhawkish campaign slogan had been "Israeli sovereignty between the Mediterranean and the Jordan," meaning no surrender of biblical land that Israel has occupied since the heady triumphs of the Six-Day War in 1967.

Begin's unexpected rise to power not only changed the internal politics of Israel but suddenly raised serious questions about hopes for any new moves toward a peace settlement in the Middle East....""The platform of the Likud does not permit the necessary opening for negotiations," said Peres. "The Likud offers no alternative for peace."

The Carter Administration's "worst case" scenario is that a Begin government would mean not just a postponement of Geneva but a substantially escalated possibility of renewed war in the Middle East. If Washington is unable to exert pressure on the new Israeli government for a settlement, one Syrian official said, "any kind of peace conference would be quite useless. The only other way would appear to be to resort to military action."

Pondering a host of seemingly unpromising policy alternatives last week, some U.S. diplomats raised the prospect of an ominous Middle East chain of events: 1) a Begin government would announce the annexation to Israel of occupied territory, thereby triggering an Arab mobilization, or 2) the Arabs would desperately mount a pre-emptive strike to prevent Begin from carrying out annexation.

Although another Middle East war is far from inevitable, it cannot be ruled out if Begin sticks to his uncompromising stance on negotiations (particularly over the future of the West Bank and Gaza) and if the Arabs give up hope that the U.S. can maneuver the next Israeli government into meaningful concessions.

Anew war, in this most dangerous of the world's potential trouble spots, would be far more deadly than all the previous ones combined. About 2,600 Israelis were killed in the three-week October War of 1973. Next time around, according to Washington military estimates, Israel would lose 8,000 and suffer about 24,000 wounded in a war of the same duration; the Arab loss could be 40,000 killed.

Before that can be achieved, all parties need to know how much negotiation can and will be done by a seemingly unrepentant former underground fighter who believes deeply that Israel should not surrender any part of the Jewish people's ancient landed heritage. ''The new government is going to be composed of a group of people who are religious nationalists imbued with mysticism and a belief in force," said one Jerusalem official. "I worry as much about their theocratic tendencies at home as I do about their getting us into a war."

The biggest worry of the voters was whether or not the Likud state of mind might provoke another war with the Arabs. Said one woman, who lost a brother in the Six-Day War and her husband in the October War: "All I can see is a long line of husbands whose wives will become widows." Warned an alarmed trade-union leader: "The Likud will force us into another war. Begin relies on God, but we will have to rely on our divisions. The workers will suffer, and a new left will rise from the ruins."

Yes, Begin was considered a warmonger, an inflexible, intransigent "superhawk" who would lead Israel to disaster and force an inevitable war.

The idea that Begin would be the architect of Israel's most important and longest-lasting peace agreement would have been dismissed as absurd by every single one of the "experts" quoted in this article.

Here we have a classic example of how the media tries, and often fails, to analyze facts and predict outcomes.

Just something to keep in mind during this current Israeli election.

New anti-semitic play in London

Harry's Place covers a new ten-minute play called "Seven Jewish Children" where Jewish parents and grandparents teach their unseen charges to hate Arabs. (Melanie Philips also talks about it.)

The climax of the play is where unfeeling Jewish parents literally cheer the deaths of Gaza children:

Tell her about the family of dead girls, tell her their names why not, tell her the whole world knows, why shouldn’t she know? tell her there’s dead babies, did she see babies? Tell her she’s got nothing to be ashamed of. Tell her they did it to themselves. Tell her they want their children killed to make people sorry for them, tell her I’m not sorry for them, tell her not to be sorry for them, tell her we’re the ones to be sorry for, tell her they can’t talk suffering to us. Tell her we’re the iron fist now, tell her it’s the fog of war, tell her we won’t stop killing them till we’re safe, tell her I laughed when I saw the dead policeman, tell her I wouldn’t care if we wiped them out, the world would hate us is the only thing, tell her I don’t care if the world hates us, tell her we’re better haters, tell her we’re chosen people, tell her I look at one of their children covered in blood and what do I feel? Tell her all I feel is happy it’s not her.

It is pointless to argue that Jews and Israelis don't feel anything like the words spoken here. It is a waste of time to explain that, Jews are not happy to see dead Palestinian Arab civilians. And it is beyond the comprehension of the playwright to mention that the only population that unabashedly and joyously celebrates the deaths of innocents are the Arabs that the author of the play is so sympathetic to.

But it is important to point out that the playwright, who pretends to be a liberal, is displaying the worst kind of bigotry possible.

Israellycool livechatting the elections

With Professor Barry Rubin.

Much more fun than watching CNN during American elections.

Check it out!

The elections 75 years ago

Here were the preliminary results for the elections of the 18th Zionist Congress in Prague, August 1933:

These were the first Zionist elections where Labor outpolled the General Zionism list.

After this Congress the Revisionists (precursors to Likud) established their own alternative organization; they rejoined in 1946.

Guess what UNRWA blames Israel for now?

UNRWA is upset at blaming Israel for its teachers not telling their young charges that firing rockets at civilians is wrong:

[UNRWA chief John Ging] voiced particular exasperation at the ban on importing paper which UNRWA needs for printing school text books and a new curriculum on human rights, calling it shameful, appealing for common sense to prevail, and stressing that the new rights programme would instil in the young how wrong it is to fire rockets.

In the previous paragraph, Ging is quoted as saying

“We have 900,000 people queuing up for food at UNRWA, and we’re only getting through them at 30,000 a day because that’s all the food we can get in,” he added. “The plight of the people is extremely bad, as we should all know by now. We’re struggling to get in the quantities that are needed, and failing I might add.”

I cannot say for certain why Israel might think that food is a higher priority than paper, even if you don't believe the claims that somehow Gazans are only getting 3% of their food needs.

However, how absurd is it to hear, after sixty years of being the major educator of Palestinian Arab children, that UNRWA now has decided to teach that cold blooded targeting of civilians is somewhat less than ideal?

And that it is Israel that is somehow stopping this lesson from being taught?

PA threatens to scuttle "peace process"

From WAFA:

PA presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina stated that the PA "will not deal with any Israeli government that is not fully committed to the peace process."

Abu Rudeina said in a statement, on the eve of the Israeli general elections, "We will not deal with any Israeli government that were not fully committed to the peace process and the two-state solution and the roadmap and the Arab peace initiative, to stop the settlements."

Sounds like as good a reason to vote for the hawks as any.